Fear of Getting COVID-19 from the Vaccine

During the COVID-19 pandemic, a segment of the world’s population was afraid of the potential short-term and long-term side effects of taking the vaccine. In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention developed a nationwide database focused on potentially emerging side effects associated with vaccines, including COVID-19. The Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) provided an outlet for individuals to share their adverse experiences after receiving vaccines. Some individuals were fearful for getting sick from the vaccine, while others indicated they were afraid of potential infertility issues in the future. COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy was also prevalent among certain groups in the United States, including individuals with disabilities and veterans. In addition to word-of-mouth communication focused the vaccine, videos focused on vaccination conspiracy theory also emerged online. In early May 2020, a video about COVID-19 as a plan-demic began emerging online. These video and associated videos negatively impacted viewers perceptions about the vaccine. Beyond the borders of the U.S., vaccination hesitancy experiences from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Saudi Arabia, and Italy are provided. In the DRC, individuals experience a lower vaccination rate than their counterparts in other nations. In Saudi Arabia, healthcare workers also demonstrated knowledge consistent with vaccine hesitancy, including the vaccine would alter their DNA, unforeseen side effects, and becoming ill from the vaccine. Over 60% of Italian medical students at the University of Torino stated they received advice against receiving their COVID-19 vaccination.